Search - Articles

of worms, slugs and beetles. But it’s too small, which is bad enough in summer, but with all the freezing temperatures of late the composting process has come to a complete standstill. Compost heaps break down quicker in summer because the bacteria involved

. But others haven’t been so lucky.I asked Jules Howard at Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) what was going on. He explained that because male frogs often lie dormant at the bottom of ponds during winter, they’re prone to dying when the ponds freeze over

action to prevent it happening again. So I have:Winterkill can happen when ponds freeze over for a long period. Noxious gasses build up and literally suffocate any frogs which happen to be there. Frogs (usually males) often choose to spend the winter

branch (you may need to wrap it first to prevent it rubbing against bark). It's worth knocking snow off roofs, greenhouses and cold frames too. This lets light in and prevents any unnecessary breakages.If temperatures are freezing, lift terracotta pots

flower and bear fruit. I've top-dressed it with some sieved, home-made compost, sponged down its leaves and given it a light prune - it's all set to go outside once this bout of freezing weather has passed. As for the mealybugs, I'm convinced

. These provide birds with instant sources of fat to boost their energy levels and improve their chances of survival.I'm determined that any freezing, starving birds in my neighbourhood can have a good meal at mine if they want it. I've part-filled my feeders